Dalit Muslims, Christians demand SC status

New Delhi, July 15: Dalit Muslims and Christians today demanded that they be included in the Scheduled Caste category and provided reservation.

They urged the Government that Article 341 of the Constitution, which does not allow reservation on religious basis, be removed.

In a joint press conference All India United Muslim Morcha President M Ejas Ali and Dalit Christian Leader C Franklin said the root cause of their people backwardness was their exclusion from the 1950 Scheduled Caste reservation list.

''Like Hindus, Sikh and Buddhists, Dalit Muslim were also entitled to avail the facilities of SC from 1935 to 1950,'' Mr Ali claimed.

He urged the Government to amend Article 341 in the coming Monsoon session of Parliament.

Mr Franklin said there was no reason as to why dalit Muslims and Christians are denied the benefits of reservation.

UNI